Anticalculus composition

An oral composition capable of retarding the development of plaque and dental calculus consisting essentially of zinc ions, and antibacterial agent and a particulate inorganic dental polishing agent, said zinc ions being present in the proportion of about 0.05% to about 4% and being furnished by a soluble zinc compound, said antibacterial agent being present within the range of about 0.03% to about 0.5%, and capable of inhibiting the growth of gram-positive oral microflora at least about three hours being selected from the group consisting of 3,4',5-tribromosalicylanilide, the zinc derivative of 3,4',5-tribromosalicylanilide, 3,4',5-trichlorosalicylanilide, the zinc derivative of 3,4',5-trichlorosalicylanilide, 3,5-dibromo-4'-trifluoromethylsalicylanilide, the zinc derivative of 3,5-dibromo-4'-trifluoromethylsalicylanilide, 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether, tyrothricin, chlorhexidine digluconate, chlorhexidine diacetate, quaternary ammonium compounds wherein said quaternary ammonium compounds are diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, diisobutylcresoxyethoxyethyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, N-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxydodecyl)N-benzylammonium chloride, cetyl trimethylammonium bromide, stearyl trimethylammonium bromide, oleyl dimethylethylammonium bromide, lauryldimethylchlorethoxyethylammonium chloride, lauryldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, alkyl(C.sub.8 -C.sub.18) dimethyl (3,4-dichlorobenzyl)-ammonium chloride, lauryl isoquinolinium bromide, N(lauroyloxyethylaminoformylmethyl)pyridinium chloride and mixtures thereof.

A method for retarding the development of dental calculus, which comprises contacting tooth surfaces with an anticalculus composition comprising from about 0.05% to about 1.5% zinc ions, and about 0.03% to about 0.5% of a non-toxic, organoleptically acceptable antibacterial agent capable of inhibiting the growth of gram-positive oral microflora for at least about three hours, in an orally acceptable medium, said antibacterial agent being selected from the group consisting of 3,4',5-tribromosalicylanilide, the zinc derivative of 3,4',5-tribromosalicylanilide, 3,4',5-trichlorosalicylanilide, the zinc derivative of 3,4',5-trichlorosalicylanilide, 3,5-dibromo-4'-trifluoromethylsalicylanilide, the zinc derivative of 3,5-dibromo-4'-trifluoromethylsalicylanilide, 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether, tyrothricin, chlorhexidine digluconate, chlorhexidine diacetate, quaternary ammonium compounds wherein said quaternary ammonium compounds are diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, diisobutylcresoxyethoxyethyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, N-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxydodecyl)-N-benzyl ammonium chloride, cetyl trimethylammonium bromide, stearlyl trimethylammonium bromide, oleyl dimethylethylammonium bromide, lauryldimethylchloretoxylethylammonium chloride, lauryldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, alkyl(C.sub.8 -C.sub.18)dimethyl(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)-ammonium chloride, lauryl isoquinolinium bromide, N(lauroyloxyethylaminoformylmethyl)pyridinium chloride and mixtures thereof.